One of the simplest things you can do is to incorporate more fun into your life. You've heard it said that 'laughter is the best medicine' and it sure is true that you can not be feeling stressful if you are finding something to laugh at.

There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease.

Laughing out loud has many health benefits. Studies have found laughing will counteract the negative effects of stress by lowering the cortisol (stress hormones) and increasing endorphins (feel good hormones).

Did you know children laugh about 400 times per day while adults laugh only 25 times daily? To bring more joy and energy into your life create ways to laugh and play.

Copyright 2007 Hilton Johnson Productions, Inc.

Today, according to Time magazine, stress is a major factor in many of the leading causes of death in the United States, and has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, accelerated aging and type 2 Diabetes.

Many people cope by over-indulging on junk food or other addictive habits. Healthy alternatives would be to make sure you get enough sleep, lower your fat intake, increase your consumption of antioxidant rich fruits and veggies, surround yourself with supportive people and exercise regularly.

Smiles and laughter release many chemicals and hormones that relax the body. We all know how good and relaxed we feel after laughing at a good joke or watching a funny film.

So, the message is: "Lighten up. Take advantage of the free health benefits of laughter and humour by watching more funny movies." Certainly avoid watching stressful movies and it's best to avoid "The TV News" - there is never much to laugh at there!

There is always so much 'doom and gloom' in the newspapers and on the TV, that sometimes it is not easy to think 'happy thoughts'. I'm sure we'd all be much happier if we stopped watching so much TV, stopped reading the newspapers and took ourselves off to the park to throw sticks for the dog.

Life does tend to get very serious at times, so if we can 'lighten up' and see the 'funny side of things', our troubles will not seem so pressing. Learn to laugh - especially at ourselves.

Laughter is an important key to health. Laughter can alter your internal chemistry from negative to positive, releases tension, shifts your perception so you can center yourself and makes life more enjoyable. Consider watching a good comedy instead of the news before bedtime and notice how much better you sleep.

Copyright 2007 Hilton Johnson Productions, Inc.

Sometimes, we are so busy with ourselves, other people, and other things that we lose our perspective. We forget to take time to ‘smell the roses’ and to be grateful for all that we have.

I love the story in "The Secret" about the ‘gratitude rock’ - think of all the things that we can be grateful and happy for. Make a list each day of all you have to be grateful for on this day, and you'll be surprised just how many little things you can find.

Lifestyle is the root cause of health and happiness and habit is the root cause of lifestyle. So it doesn’t matter whether you’re stressed, overweight, self-destructing or tired all the time, changing your lifestyle habits will make a huge difference ... but this is not always easy.... unless, of course, you follow the 'habit guide'. by Mike Kinnaird.

Breaking up the day with a few minutes of fun, here and there, can make a huge difference to how your body handles stress. When you have something to look forward to, it may be just to do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle at lunch or at coffee break, you are giving your mind a little relief and making yourself stronger.

Just taking a brisk five or ten minute walk with some soothing music on your Ipod will bring relief, or plan a fun night with your family once in a while.

"Everyone has heard that stress kills. Most people think that means psychological stress. But there are a number of different types of stress that affect your health and may contribute to illness, disease and even premature death."

In his book, which makes very interesting reading, he talks about Psychological Stress, Physical Stress, Dietary Stress and Environmental Stress.

I will touch just briefly on some of what Dr Nugent has to say, but I would suggest that it is well worthwhile getting a copy of his book if you can – it makes very interesting reading.

Psychological Stress
Scientific studies have clearly shown that psychological stress does, in fact, lower immune function. Anything that could lower your immune function is dangerous to you in the 21st century. Even negative thoughts can lower your immune function.
Do you know anyone who can get through the day without having a single negative thought?

Physical Stress
Many people are unaware of what their body was actually designed to do. This amazing organic machine we live in was, in fact, designed to defend itself, heal itself and protect itself from all manner of threats. However, the human body was also designed to live on a planet that no longer exists.

When our earliest ancestors began walking the earth, the world was a pristine place.
Psychological stress was extremely low, and environmental stress was non-existent.
Physical stress was proportionate to what the body was capable of doing.

As the body creates energy to move our muscles, we release tiny molecules called free radicals. Free radicals – as long as they are controlled by antioxidants – cause no damage to the body. That’s because the human body was designed to cope with a normal amount of free radical release during energy production, using antioxidants that come from fruit and vegetables as well as chemicals made in the body, such as glutathione.

We no longer live in the world we were designed to live in. The environmental and dietary stresses that we now have create a situation where our body’s normal mechanisms for creating glutathione and utilizing antioxidants from foods are inadequate to protect us from these stresses. This results in fatigue, lethargy, lack of clarity of thought, illness, disease and premature death. The more stress the greater the demand for organic fuel just to maintain an even playing field.

Dietary Stress

The human body was designed to function perfectly with a good, fresh, raw, natural diet. Originally, there were no processed, refined or prepackaged foods. There were no grocery stores. Individuals had to hunt and/or gather what they ate. Foods were the freshest and most nutritious that have ever existed on this planet. There were no cupcake or biscuit bushes. No white bread trees. You couldn’t pull French fries out of the ground. Fruits and vegetables didn’t come canned, cooked, dried or packed in refined sugar syrup. Unlike today, people worked hard physically to earn their food. All we have to do now is coast up to the drive-through window, or walk a few paces to the refrigerator.

Our bodies were, in fact, designed to earn our food.

Environmental Stress
Without a doubt, environmental stress is the most serious threat to human health in the 21st century.
All medical and healthcare practitioners at every level are taught that we should be able to get our basic nutrition from food. This premise is based on oudated information that does not take into account the full spectrum of the threats and stresses to human health in the 21st century. I want all people to eat right, consuming fresh, raw and natural foods as much as possible. Realistically, we know that most people will not do so. But if they do not, their health will be compromised without essential nutritional support from scientifically validated dietary supplements.

“Only 1% of the US population consumes a diet meeting the fivefood group recommendations that are the basis for the food pyramid in the Dietary Guidelines for America.”

-American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997

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